Bristling
by Bakunawa
Summary: Five times Nick made Judy bristle cutely.
1. Chapter 1

Judy might be Nick's partner but that did not entail they had to be together all the time. Nick had the experience and the contacts that proved useful to Zootopia's Police and Bogo was not above exploiting that.

The first time Bogo called him in to consult on a case following a failed drug bust operation, Judy wasn't even allowed in the chief's office. Judy had to settle for filing their reports alone and patrolling with Trunkaby for next two days.

On the third day, she found out Nick was practically living in Precinct One.

"I'm just as unhappy about this as you are, believe me," the fox grumbled through the phone.

He had to leave with Wolford on one of ZPD's undercover surveillance vans before Judy could clock in. Bogo must have been putting on the pressure if two of the most lackadaisical officers in Precinct One barely leave the office and were out and about before the sun was even up.

"But, hey, making the world a better place and all that shit, right?" the fox added, "Honestly, Carrots, when have you rubbed off on me?"

Grumpy Sleepless Nicky was Potty Mouth Nicky.

Judy just sighed, resigned. If she were to admit it, she would have done exactly the same thing if Bogo came to her instead.

"Call me when you're done with the case," she said, "I want to try that burger place you mentioned."

"Bug Burga?"

"Yeah, that one. My treat this time."

"Aw, Carrots," he cooed, "I didn't know you cared so much. It's like you're asking me on a date."

"Wait, what?! No!"

She might have reacted a little too loudly because everyone in the break room stopped and stared. She waved them off but every inch of her face was bristled to the roots.

Judy heard snickering from the other end of the line. There might be another one cackling in the background, who she was sure was Wolford.

"Seriously, Nick?"

"I wish I could see your face," he said and she could almost see his grinning face.

"Whatever. Just call me when you're done, okay?"

"Will do."

They ended the call with Judy feeling more flustered than she should be.

Notes:

I've noticed most posts, if not all, would make the mammals in Zootopia blush even through their fur. Just didn't sit right with me though. I mean, how can you see the blush when the entire face is covered in hair or fur? But since Zootopia features anthropomorphic mammals with attributes closely similar to humans, one cannot disregard blushing entirely.

What would make a Zootopian equivalent of blushing then? It would have to be a visible involuntary reaction involving the psychological fight/flight mechanism because that's what blushing basically is.

I thought of goosebumps but that would still involve skin being visible. It came to mind that most mammals tend to have their hackles up when they feel threatened. "Hackling" did not sound right though, so I settled for "bristling".


	2. Chapter 2

Judith Laverne Hopps was your everyday tomboy. She could count the number of times she wore a dress or skirt on one paw.

The first time Nicholas Piberius Wilde saw her in a blouse-and-skirt ensemble was at the laundry mat near his apartment. She explained that the washing machine in her building was still under repair and that she was down to her last clean clothes.

The blouse was a striped black and orange thing that may or may not have been her mother's, while the skirt was flouncy white with blue floral prints. Fru Fru would have been horrified to see her in that get up.

"Why are you staring?" she asked her partner, annoyed.

"I have never seen you in anything but ZPD blues, plaid shirts and jeans, and sometimes the occasional sweatpants."

"Well, have your fill then." She curtsied like a ballerina and gave him a twirl because she was dramatic that way. The flouncy floral skirt billowed and Nick thought it was the most adorable thing. "And don't say I look cute in this," she huffed.

"I wasn't going to say anything," the red fox shrugged, sitting back on the bench before turning a page on his borrowed magazine.

"Good," Judy said, taking her phone out before joining him on the bench to wait for her clothes in the wash.

"You're not cute," Nick whispered a minute later, still looking at his magazine, "You're by far the prettiest rabbit I've ever seen in a skirt."

"Nick!" The fine hairs on her face up to her ears and down to her neck stood on their ends.

"Aw, look at that. You're bristling."

She punched him in the arm. Hard.

Notes:

I've seen some concept arts of Nick's leaky apartment that I found interesting. But it was not made clear in the movie whether it was an apartment under the bridge Judy found him after their time apart or someplace else. I would like to think that since working for the police department after some time, Nick would have found a better place and I would like it somewhere near Judy's so that this scene can happen.


	3. Chapter 3

Contrary to popular belief, Judy knew how to cook. Specifically, she knew how to bake. Not as great as her mom or Gideon but she could whip out a decent batch of cupcakes and pies if the need arise. Though, since starting at the Academy and then working for ZPD, she just did not have the time for baking... or cooking for herself for that matter.

The first time Nick knew that Judy could bake was for an office Christmas party.

Nick did not think too much about it since everyone was pitching in and Judy-sweet, sweet Judy Hopps-volunteered for the food committee. And everyone already assumed that wherever Judy went, he would follow. So when she filed her PTO two weeks prior, he didn't think twice before submitting his.

That's how he found himself at Francine's ginormous kitchen taking orders from said rabbit like a cadet to his drill instructor.

Judy was way nicer than his academy drill instructor ever was though.

"You sure you've done this before, Carrots?" Nick had to ask.

"Nick, I got 275 siblings," replied the ever optimistic bunny, "And about half of them are married with kids. Not to mention the annual festivals and holidays in the Burrows. Don't worry, we got this."

"But you've only done bunny-sized pies. Francine can probably finish 275 bunny-sized pies in one go-no offense, France."

"None taken," the elephant said. She and Fangmeyer the Wolf were on the other side of the kitchen making casseroles.

"I did have a lot more hands at home than here," Judy shrugged, "But trust me when I tell you we can make enough for at least fifty mammals."

"Be grateful, Wilde, that it's just for our division and not the entire precinct," Fangmeyer the Tiger added from his spot of the kitchen. He was fixing something Nick did not want to know.

"That would have been a nightmare," Judy said, kneading a sizable amount of dough on the kitchen island. "Are we still mixing that flour?"

"Aye, ma'am," Nick huffed, going back to his bowl of flour. He could not keep himself from eyeing the stack of baking pans at his side. One was large enough for Judy to use as a bathtub!

Many many hours later though, he couldn't quite remember what he was whining about. He was surrounded by Judy-bathtub-sized pies of varying flavors. Christmas Apple Pie, Spiced Cherry Pie, Caramel-Pecan Pie, and, yes, Nick's favorite Blueberry Pie.

"Am I alive?" the fox asked dreamily as Fangmeyer the Tiger pulled out the last pan from the oven and brought it to the dining table where they were being cooled under the ceiling fan.

"Dude, we like died and gone to heaven," Fangmeyer the Wolf trailed after his brother. He was practically drooling.

"Later, Wilde," Francine chided, smacking a wayward red paw that was getting too close.

"But there's more than two dozen of 'em," Nick whined, pouting like a kit, "Can't we start the party now?"

"There's this thing called 'delayed gratification'. Ever heard about it?" The elephant nudged him and Fangmeyer the Wolf back to the kitchen. They still had those casseroles to finish.

Judy met them halfway out with a bowl full of cookies. The fox and the wolf looked at her like she was godsend. Everyone was upon her before she could open her mouth to explain.

"When did you even have time to make them?"

"And you filled them with jam!"

"Seriously, is there anything you can't do, Hopps?"

"There was too much dough left," the bunny answered sheepishly, "I didn't want to waste them."

"Carrots, you are perfect," Nick professed, taking the too-large bowl from her.

Judy felt her ears instantly warmer and the fur on her face tingling. She blamed it on the heat from the kitchen because Nick calling her perfect and looking at her like he really meant it was not the reason why her face was bristling.

Notes:

Who is Fangmeyer? First he was the white wolf then a... female tiger? So I said, "I'll take them both, one of them is adopted, the tiger is clearly male despite the 'eye-shadow' and there ain't nuttin' you can do about it."


	4. Chapter 4

Judy Hopps may be a certified tomboy but she does wear a dress or skirt occasionally.

She wore one at her high school prom and her older sisters gave her a cute blue dress for her eighteenth birthday. She wore it on a picnic date once and might have totally forgotten about it after starting at the Zootopia Police Academy. It was still in her closet back at the Burrows last time she checked but a mammal like her tends to lose things with so many family members in one home.

Wearing pants was just easier and comfortable for Judy and her lifestyle. She was a police officer after all. But for a good reason, Judy does not entirely object to wearing a dress.

The ZPD's Quarterly Outreach Program was one such reasons, which the first bunny and fox police officers were shortlisted by the 3rd quarter. It fell close to Halloween and HR decided to go with a Disneigh costume theme because they were just so creative that way.

This was also the first time Nick Wilde saw his partner in a dress at Pride Rock Hospital.

Officers Trumpet and Wolford with newcomer Officer Brie came as heroes from Pig Hero Six, Mchorn was Wreck-it Rhino, while Judy and Nick decided to come as characters from Wrangled.

"You look so... um, hmmm..." the fox said, cupping his chin in contemplation.

"Cute?" Judy asked, smoothing out an imaginary wrinkle on skirt. They were gathered at the hospital lobby, waiting for whomever was in charge.

"... no."

"You hesitated."

"N-no, I didn't."

But she totally was cute! Judy wore the most fetching lavender dress with teeny weeny ribbons that ran along her back, holding the corset closed. She could not afford the extremely long golden mane that would have completed the outfit so she opted for a short brown wig instead. Nick decided a shorter mane was definitely the better choice.

"Will you stop staring, Nick?" Judy whispered, peeved. The tips of her ears were growing warmer under his gaze.

"I can't help it!" Nick whispered back. He himself wore a blue vest over a white shirt with rolled sleeves, just like the character in the film.

"It's really no different from any other dress," Judy insisted, nose twitching.

"But I haven't seen you in a dress before."

"You saw me in a skirt that one time."

"Liked the skirt. The top-not so much. And this is different."

"Let's just not make a big deal out of this, m'kay?"

"I'm not making a big deal out of this."

"You won't stop staring."

"Why are you guys bickering in hushed voices?" Officer Brie piped in. They did not realize the mouse officer was standing between them the entire time.

"Sorry," Judy said at the same time Nick dismissed it as, "Nothing."

Brie shook her head at her co-workers antics, rolling away in her bright yellow body suit to stand by Wolford instead.

A moment later, Pride Rock's medical director came down to greet them himself . The elder zebra made special note on ZPD's first bunny and fox officers, shaking their hands longer, before leading them to the wards where the young ones were waiting.

"I still think you're the prettiest bunny I've ever seen in a dress ," Nick said so softly by her ear.

Warmth flooded her face instantly, making the fur from the tips of her ears down to her chest stand up.

"And you look exceptionally adorable when you're all fluffed and embarrassed," the fox added.

It earned him a sharp jab to the solar plexus from a very flustered bunny with a frying pan.

Notes:

Officer Brie is a deleted character I found in . Here, she joined the force after the Savage Conspiracy and looked up to Judy for paving the way for smaller mammals to dream bigger and working for it. She has a more hardened personality though, so no hero-worshiping over Judy for her.


	5. Chapter 5

Everybody loved Officer Judy Hopps. That was a universal fact. Who wouldn't love a bunny like Judy Hopps?

Even McHorn, the grumpiest rhino you'd ever seen, liked Judy Hopps at least to some degree. Nick once saw the senior officer handed a rabbit-sized fork to Judy at the last office winter party when the aforementioned rabbit could not find any decent sized utensil.

The first time Nick Wilde told Judy he loved her went something like this, "You kinda gave meaning to my life, I guess." To be fair, he was not entirely sober when he said that.

He had such a good day that turned into a good night and he and his partner went out with the boys at work for a few bottles after shift. Judy had one and he got three and they stayed up until about midnight before heading back to his place, where he insisted she stayed because it was late already.

They stayed up even later because she got hungry and there was pie in his fridge. Also, there was beer and the next day was a day off for them. So he grabbed two for them each and they huddled on his couch with rerun of Game of Horns playing on his secondhand TV.

They weren't really paying attention to the show but started talking (and giggling) about other stuff like... To be honest, he doesn't quite remember what they were talking about but Judy was still too perky for a tipsy bunny and he was feeling a pleasant buzz from the tips of his ears down to the ends of his tail.

He was a mellow drunk with a faulty head-to-mouth filter and she must have been asking him something personal and ardent and so Judy-like, all determined and compassionate and cute-no, cuddly! Because Judy doesn't like to be called cute even though she's the cutest thing to ever walk on this earth. Ever.

Practically telling her he loved her made the tips of her ears bloom red and her face all twitchy and bristling. It only made the cute factor go up by 200% that he could not help himself but lean on her (because he still could not quite hug her like he wanted to) until they both fell over on the couch and that's how he drifted off.

Judy wiggled out of his arm after a few minutes and draped a blanket over him. He may have felt her paw on his cheek a moment later and something warm pressed to his muzzle.

He dreamed of twitchy pink noses and lavender dresses that night.

Notes:

This is as fluffy as a bunny.


End file.
